Reality TV
‘Love Is Blind’ Star Tyler Francis Breaks Silence on Paternity Scandal: ‘I’ll Explain It All’
Tyler Francis and Ashley Adionser were Love Is Blind Season 7 favorites until some intel about his past was revealed. After not being forthcoming about having helped a lesbian couple grow their family in the past, Ashley was quite upset to realize that Tyler had been holding back about certain parts of his life in the pods. Then claims from one of the women involved landed on social media, which only increased the controversy.
Tyler owned up to having biologically fathered three kids with Bri Thomas. However, he seems to have another definition of their prior relationship than Bri. “In regards to our oldest child, Kyreaux, Tyler was initially only supposed to be helping me and my ex-wife. He was helping us conceive,” Bri said in an Instagram video, something Tyler has corroborated before on the show.
Yet the claims that her twins were conceived during an “unplanned” event is not the way he explained it in the scenes that were shown on Love Is Blind. Tyler mentioned that his kids don’t necessarily know what he looks like, therefore suggesting that he doesn’t really have a close bond with the parents or his biological children. Bri, however, tells another version of the story.
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Now, Tyler has spoken out about the alleged claims that have been making the rounds. A user commented on his October 17 Instagram post, “People can say a lot of stuff but ultimately saying that you don’t think they children know what you look like was a choice and I’m very interested in the explanation.” Tyler responded, “I don’t owe anyone in the world an explanation. But I’ll give you one lol the conversation was more than what was shown and a lot of off-camera conversations were had.”
Another user wrote, “Definition of trying to delete your past to start fresh lol Mr. Doner but has pictures with the children.” Tyler clapped back, “That is not facts. Just be patient, I’ll explain it all very soon.”
Ahead of the Season 7 finale, Bri spoke out on Instagram about Tyler’s paternity scandal. “It was understood that Tyler was not supposed to assume a father role in Kyreaux’s life,” she began. Bri alleged that once her ex-wife left her and went back to California, Tyler entered her life again. The two had previously been best friends, and she said he wanted to help her. Even now, she is still adamant in saying that she is very thankful for how he helped her through that time.
In the second of four videos on Instagram, she stated, “One day, I received a text from Tyler and he asked me if I would be OK with him being a father to Kyreaux because he did not want Kyreaux to be raised by a single mother, as he had. We had a deep discussion about what that would mean for him to be stepping up as a father to Kyreaux and what it would look like as far as financial responsibility, helping out, being an active parent in his life, being present.”
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Surprised by his current actions Bri claimed that she agreed and that he “assumed a father role.” In a later clip, she understands that some people could have the argument that he doesn’t really have any responsibilities regarding Kyreaux, as he wasn’t noted on the birth certificate. She doesn’t think that same rhetoric applies to their five-year-old twins, who she claimed were conceived in a natural way and “with absolutely no complexities surrounding parentage.” She further explained, “He signed the birth certificate. He cut the umbilical cord. His mom and sister came and visited me in the hospital, visited us in the hospital after the twins were born. Again, there has never been any confusion or additional context surrounding the twins’ origin.”
Afterward, she alleged that the two were never officially a couple, partly due to the fact that she has identified as a lesbian for most of her life, but they did have an arrangement when it came to the kids.
Bri said she was happy for Tyler and that he even went to visit her and the kids the day before going on Love Is Blind.
So, will Tyler’s explanation be good enough to clear all of this up or will we be left with answers? All will be revealed at the reunion!
Love Is Blind, Season 7, Episode 12, October 23, Netflix
Love Is Blind, Season 7 Reunion, October 30, 9/8c, Netflix
